The exact words
What Juliet is asking
It may be the most misunderstood line in Shakespeare. Because “wherefore” sounds like “where,” people often say it while pretending to look for someone. In Shakespeare’s English, though, “wherefore” meant “why,” as in “the whys and wherefores.” Juliet already knows where Romeo is, or thinks she does: somewhere far away. What torments her is why he has to be Romeo.
Hours earlier, at her family’s feast, she fell in love with a stranger and then discovered he was Romeo, the son of the Montagues, her family’s bitter enemies. Standing on her balcony, believing she is alone, she speaks her thoughts aloud: “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? / Deny thy father and refuse thy name. / Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, / And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.”
A speech about names
Juliet’s argument is that a name is just a label. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other word would smell as sweet.” Romeo would still be himself if he were called something else, so she asks him to give up the name and take her instead. Romeo, hiding in the orchard below, cannot resist answering: “Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptiz’d.”
The tragedy of the play is that names do matter. The feud between the families, which the lovers try to ignore, is what destroys them. Juliet’s sweet logic about the rose turns out to be wishful thinking.
How to use it
The line works as a light joke in a wedding toast, especially when two families are being joined. If you use it, use it correctly, because someone in the room will know what “wherefore” means. In writing, a quick note that the word means “why” shows the reader you understand the scene.
What people get wrong
Juliet is looking for Romeo and asking where he is.
“Wherefore” meant “why.” She is asking why the boy she loves has to be Romeo, a Montague, from the family her own family hates.
Timeline
- c. 1595Shakespeare writes Romeo and Juliet, based on Arthur Brooke's 1562 poem The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet.
- Act 1, Scene 5Romeo and Juliet meet at the Capulet feast and only afterward learn each other's families.
- Act 2, Scene 2On her balcony, unaware Romeo is below, Juliet wishes he had another name.
- 1597The play is first printed.
Use it in a speech
Questions people ask
What does “wherefore art thou Romeo” mean?
“Why are you Romeo?” In Shakespeare's English, “wherefore” meant “why.” Juliet wishes he were not a Montague.
Is Juliet looking for Romeo?
No. She thinks she is alone. Romeo is hiding in the garden below and hears everything.
What comes next?
Juliet continues, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other word would smell as sweet,” arguing that his name is not really part of him.
Cite this quote
These cite the original source directly, so you can use them in an essay or paper. Always check your teacher's required style.